Eighth Grade
Language Arts
Classic literature is at the heart of the eighth grade English curriculum. Through culturally significant works, students develop their critical thinking skills as they examine themes of discrimination, growing up, integrity, love, friendship, and moral decision-making. In addition, one day each week students participate in reader’s workshop, a program in which they read and respond to books of their own choosing. The curriculum also seeks to expand students’ precision of language as they learn to properly use new vocabulary taken from the class literature and their vocabulary workbook.
Eighth grade writing lab allows students to develop their writing skills in coordination with their literary study. Students analyze poetry to study the different elements of an author’s craft. They use some of these writing techniques in their own writing. In a workshop environment, students experiment with creative assignments and expository essays as they work towards crafting articulate multi-paragraph analyses. The course reinforces the familiarity of the writing process: outlining, drafting, editing, and revising in addition to paragraph and essay construction, effective thesis statements, and adequate support of main ideas. Students compose at least 500 words per week and choose their best three pieces of revised work for their portfolio each trimester. Further, building on their previous understanding of grammar, eighth grade students gain greater command of complex English syntax.
Math
Eighth Grade Introduction to Algebra
Introduction to Algebra is designed for eighth grade students whose mathematical development needs reinforcement before entering a full-year algebra course. This class covers algebraic expressions, real number operations, equations, inequalities, graphing, formulas, and word problems. Students work individually and cooperatively to explore and extend their knowledge. As in algebra, connections to geometry, probability, statistics, and technology occur as students progress through the course.
Eighth Grade Algebra I
Algebra I is offered to eighth grade students who have demonstrated a secure mastery of pre-algebra concepts in seventh grade. The course begins with a review of algebraic expressions, simple linear equations and inequalities, and real number operations. Students build upon this knowledge to explore equations and inequalities both symbolically and graphically, functions, exponents, radicals, polynomials, quadratics, proportionality, and rational equations. The course will reinforce problem solving, oral and written communication, and reasoning skills. Mathematical connections to patterns, geometry, probability, statistics, and technology occur throughout the course.
Science
Eighth grade science emphasizes a strong foundation in physics and chemistry, leading naturally to related topics in the life and earth sciences. Themes unify the sciences in this program by linking the structures on which the science disciplines are built. The four main themes addressed are Energy, Systems and Interactions, Scale and Structure, and Stability and Change. Energy is a central concept of the physical sciences and an integral part of the biological and geological sciences. Systems and Interactions are based on the concept that by defining the boundaries of the system, one can study the interactions among its parts. Scale and Structure emphasizes the relationship among different structures and the focus of the relationship. Stressed throughout each unit is “how we know what we know and why we believe it to be so.” Stability and Change is characterized as trends, cycles, and irregular changes in systems.
Environmental Science
This practicum allows students to conduct individual research on topical issues, and to develop cooperative learning skills through group projects focusing on concrete products. Past research and projects have produced tree and plant guides for the Wildscape, nature photos of professional quality, articles in community newspapers, environmental curriculum formation for the lower grades, planting of garden plots, in-school environmental newsletters, investigative reporting and development of a science web-page, storm sewer marking for the City of Dallas, participation in the White Rock Market at the Greenspot, building and racing solar cars, building and operating individual wind turbines. Students are encouraged to become informed and knowledgeable about all sides of environmental issues.
Social Studies
Eighth grade U.S. history covers the history of The United states from its European roots during The Age of Discovery up through The Civil War. Emphasis is also placed on the earlier cultural and trade interactions with Africa, The Middle East, and Medieval Europe as they pertained to the needs of Spain, Portugal, England and France to discover a waterway to Asia for trade. There is also an intensive study made of The Constitution of The United States and its effects on the entire world.
